Pfarrkirche Hopfgarten in Defereggen

The parish church of Hopfgarten in Defereggen stands on rising ground in the centre of the village. It belongs to the Diocese of Innsbruck and is dedicated to St John of Nepomuk. The church and its cemetery are protected as a listed building. The present church was begun in 1756 and consecrated in 1798 after a long building period. It became a parish church in 1891, though earlier records mention a Trinity chapel in 1699. The interior was renovated in 1826 and again in 1903, when new ceiling paintings were added. The church’s furnishings date mainly from the mid-19th century. Inside, the single nave has three bays with painted pilasters and a barrel vault. The double gallery has curved railings and the chancel is five-sided. The high altar shows St John of Nepomuk interceding with the Virgin, flanked by statues of Peter and Paul. The side altars depict the Coronation of Mary and the giving of the keys to Peter. The organ, built in 1852, was enlarged in 1937.